ITA-IAEA Collaboration Focused on Development of Geological Disposal Facilities

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association met in Vienna on Sept. 26. The delegation from IAEA led by Olena Mykolaichuk, Director of the Division of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology, met with Daniel Garbutt, Arnold Dix, Helen Roth and Andrea Pigorini of the ITA to explore future collaboration in the development of Geological Disposal Facilities (GDFs) for higher activity radioactive waste.

This cooperation builds on IAEA’s recent work — developed with substantial support from the ITA — that resulted in a draft publication that is focused on managing the transition to accessing the underground for Geological Disposal Facilities, led by Scientific Secretary Gerald Nieder-Westermann, IAEA officer in the Division of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology. The draft is currently in the publication process at the IAEA. Recognizing the need for waste management organizations to integrate safety considerations with the realities of underground construction, the ITA will continue to find ways to work together with the IAEA to support addressing this challenge.

To this end, the ITA has launched a dedicated special interest group, established in close cooperation with the IAEA, to help industry better understand the specific requirements of GDF development. Through this initiative, both organizations will provide Member States with the knowledge and technical support to effectively deliver and maintain the underground infrastructure needed to provide for the safe disposal of radioactive waste.

“For ITA, this initiative represents a significant opportunity to contribute our global expertise in underground engineering to one of the most critical and enduring tasks of our time,” said Andrea Pigorini, President of ITA. “We are committed to contributing our underground expertise to help shape solutions that will protect people and the planet for generations to come.”

The IAEA publication that forms the foundation for this collaboration highlights the critical stage when programs move from surface investigations to underground access, requiring close integration of scientific, technical and sociopolitical considerations. This work will support bridging the gap between safety case and engineering realities, underlining the importance of engaging with the tunnelling and underground construction community.

The ITA initiative will foster cross-border knowledge exchange, promote best practices in underground construction, and support repository designs that serve future generations. The ITA is proud to announce Arnold Dix, a Past President of ITA, as Chair of the new initiative bringing capable leadership and experience to this vital effort.

The ITA remains committed to advancing safe and resilient underground solutions and looks forward to working together with the IAEA in supporting the international community for the successful development of Geological Disposal Facilities worldwide.

Contact Information
-Arnold Dix: Chair of the ITA special interest group / ITA Past President. Phone: (+61) 419 688 890 Email: arnold@arnolddix.com
-Helen Roth: ITA Executive Director. Phone: (+47) 47 26 23 74 Email: exec.director@ita-aites.org